1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a dental hygiene device and, more specifically, to a dental implant post cleaner comprising a tubular housing having two open ends, with an outer peripheral wall surface and an inner peripheral wall surface with a plurality of interiorly extending bristles for cleaning a dental implant post when encompassed by the tubular housing and repetitiously manually rotated about the dental implant post. The tubular housing can also contain on the outer peripheral wall surface a texture, ridges or grooves to aid in gripping the tubular housing during use.
Furthermore, the tubular housing contains two opposite beveled surfaces extending towards the inner peripheral wall surface and having two annular ridges, so that either one of the annular ridges will engage with a gum line about the dental implant post during a cleaning session.
Still further, the tubular housing can have a longitudinal slot extending along its entire length, thereby enabling a diametric expansion or compression of the tubular housing when fitted over the dental implant post to accommodate dental implant posts of varying cross sectional sizes.
Also, a holder being a storage compartment in a handle of a toothbrush comprises a horizontal shaft therein for holding the dental implant cleaning device to create and enhance dental cleaning care kit.
A flange is formed on a distal end of the horizontal shaft, so that when the tubular housing is placed onto the horizontal shaft the flange prevents the tubular housing from sliding off of the horizontal shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other devices designed for cleaning various items. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 887,181 issued to Barnes on May 12, 1908.
Another patent was issued to Duey on Feb. 14, 1933 as U.S. Pat. No. 1,897,365. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 2,066,241 was issued to Trattner et al. on Dec. 29, 1936 and still yet another was issued on May 7, 1963 to Sweeney as U.S. Pat. No. 3,088,150.
Another patent was issued to Tucker on Nov. 24, 1981 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,567. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,409 was issued to Cox, Jr. on Feb. 13, 1990. Another was issued to Sussman on Jul. 17, 1990 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,227 and still yet another was issued on Nov. 26, 1991 to Sussman as U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,195.
Another patent was issued to Ascher on Oct. 5, 1993 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,962. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,416 was issued to Karis on Oct. 22, 1996. Another was issued to Gunning on Aug. 24, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,923.
A brush of the character described comprising a substantially U-shaped back of a size sufficient to encompass the teeth, said U-shaped back being provided on the inner surface thereof with the suitable bristles or brush material, the bristles under the upper portion of the back diminishing in length from the outer to the inner edge of the back and the bristles on the lower portions of the back increasing in length toward the lower ends of the back, substantially as described
A toothbrush comprising a handle formed with a tapered socket at one end thereof, a brush head including bristles disposed to impart to the brush end an annular formation, and a tapered stem on said brush head having a reduced outer end portion for insertion longitudinally into said socket; and effect wedge engagement between the stem and brush handle.
A toothbrush comprising an inverted substantially U-shaped body having substantially converging arms, bristles extending at an upward angle from the confronting face of the arms, bristles extending from the intermediate of the body toward the first mentioned bristles, and a handle extending from one of the arms and on the outer face thereof opposed to its bristles, and said handle adapted to be rocked in a vertical plane to cause like movement of the bristles with respect to the teeth.
A cleaning device comprising a hollow cylindrical base member opened at both ends, said member including a radially inwardly extending annular flange means at one end thereof and internal threads adjacent the other end thereof; an annular brushing element removably arranged in said base member in concentric relation therewith with its bristles extending inwardly; a brush holder having external threads thereon removably threadedly engaged to said internal threads of said base member and coacting with said flange means to retain said brushing element in said base member; an elongated hollow cover of sufficient length to be manually grasped and thereby operative to shield another brush carried by said brush holder within its hollow interior when so grasped, said cover including external threads formed at said open end thereof and being removably threadedly engaged to said internal threads of said base member and outwardly of said brush holder, whereby said annular brush is operative for cleaning battery terminals and the like when the elongated is manually grasped, and said annular brushing element can be replaced by removing said elongated cover and said brush holder from said base member.
A rotary terminal cleaner for cleaning terminals such as on automotive batteries and the like includes a cylindrical housing having an internal key running along the housing, an end cap having a cylindrical shape for mating with the hollow housing and forming a snug fit within an end of the hollow housing, the end cap having a longitudinal slot to mate with the key of the housing to prevent relative rotation of the end cap and the housing, the end cap also having a shaft integrally formed with the end cap for driving the cleaner by a rotary device such as a power drill. The cleaner also includes first and second brushes of abrasive material which fit within the hollow housing to abrade and clean the terminals. The first brush is a rectangular piece of abrasive material perhaps having bristles such as a section of a wire brush which fits in the end cap in such a manner as to permit the bristles to be facing the open end of the hollow housing. The second brush is a strip having a generally rectangular shape also having a plurality of bristles the second brush being formed in a circular manner within the hollow housing in such a manner as to be held in place by the key way on the inside of the housing and which in turn holds the first brush in fixed position.
A manual tool for preparing tube ends and/or pipe ends for jointure is provided, to perform the functions of scraping for cleaning, scarifying, deburring and abrading to remove grit and foreign matter such as solder, solder drops, chemical substances, or other debris on the outer and/or inner surfaces of the ends of tubing, pipe fittings and the like, prior to connection of said tubing, pipe and fittings by welding, soldering, etc. A plurality of tool units are detachably connected to a manual tool comprising a tool body adapted to fit readily and comfortably in the hand of a user, said tool body having a generally circular shape. The tool units may comprise: external brush units, internal brush units, external sharpened blade units, internal metal blades or ribs having sharpened edges and the like or other desirable tool units having sharpened edges, abrasive surfaces, and the like to perform the desired cleaning, scarifying, scraping, etc. necessary to provide cleaned tubing ends, piping ends, and the like to allow better connection of said tubing ends, piping ends, etc.
A device for cleaning dental implant posts, includes a handle for grasping the device; and a brush secured to one end of the handle. The brush includes (i) a first flexible, springy resilient wire or plastic member secured to the one end of the handle and having a substantially part-circular configuration extending over an arc greater than 90.degree. and less than 180.degree., the first member having a first inturned free end, (ii) a second flexible, springy resilient wire or plastic member secured to the same end of the handle and having a substantially part-circular configuration extending over an arc greater than 90.degree. and less than 180.degree., the second member having a second inturned free end in opposing and at least partially facing relation to the first inturned free end so as to define a gap between the first and second inturned free ends which is smaller than the distance between proximal and distal sides of an implant post to be cleaned; and (iii) a plurality of circumferentially arranged bristles secured to each wire or plastic member. The first and second members may be made as a single unitary wire member.
A device for cleaning dental implant posts, includes a handle for grasping the device; and a brush secured to one end of the handle. The brush includes (i) a first flexible, springy resilient wire or plastic member secured to the one end of the handle and having a substantially part-circular configuration extending over an arc greater than 90.degree. and less than 180.degree., the first member having a first inturned free end, (ii) a second flexible, springy resilient wire or plastic member secured to the same end of the handle and having a substantially part-circular configuration extending over an arc greater than 90.degree. and less than 180.degree., the second member having a second inturned free end in opposing and at least partially facing relation to the first inturned free end so as to define a gap between the first and second inturned free ends which is smaller than the distance between proximal and distal sides of an implant post to be cleaned; and (iii) a plurality of circumferentially arranged bristles secured to each wire or plastic member. The first and second members may be made as a single unitary wire member.
A method and device for cleaning abutment members of a dental implant in which a relatively rigid support member carries a cleaning element into a position around the lingual surface of the abutment member to be cleaned whereafter the cleaning element can be rubbed against the abutment member to effect the cleaning. The cleaning element can be fixed to the support member in which case, the support member is manipulated to achieve the cleaning of the abutment member by the cleaning element. Alternatively, the support member can be removed from the mouth after the cleaning element has been put into place around the abutment member whereafter cleaning of the abutment member is achieved by the cleaning element itself.
A two-in-one brush for an item to be cleaned comprises a hollow, generally cylindrical, one-piece handle having a pair of open end portions, a grippable external surface and a transverse web disposed perpendicular to the handle between the open end portions. An annular female brush member is fixed within one open end portion of the handle and a male brush member is anchored within the other open end portion. The brush members have outermost ends terminating within the open end portions and being continuously accessible therefrom wherein the handle substantially shields the brush members from inadvertent manual contact therewith yet permits contact of the brush members with the item to be cleaned.
The present invention provides an improved device for cleaning dental implant posts comprising a handle specifically adapted for ease of use by a person of limited or impaired dexterity or muscle control or a care giver and a series of brush and pick attachments specifically adapted for cleaning dental implant posts. This handle configuration eliminates the need for a pencil-like grip.
While these cleaning devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.